Method for making hoop skirts



July 22, 195s D. vi TATE muon FOR MAKING Hooi sxm'rs 2 vShets--Shee'n l Filed Aug. 13, 1954 July 22, 1958 D. w. TATE METHOD Foa MAKING Hoo:a sxm'rs Filed Aug. 13,. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Donn/e W. Ta fe fm, ,y ma

METHOD. FR MAKING H953?? SKERTS Donnie W. Tate, Jackson, Miss.

Application August 13, 1954, Serial No. 449,762

4 Claims. (Ci. 22i6) This invention relates to novel and improved construction of h'oop skirts and more specifically provides an improved method of making hoop skirts.

Previously, hoop skirts were made by individual seamstresses or other skilled persons wherein the skirt relied upon the ability of these persons for its resultant structure. Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making `hoop skirts wherein the hoop skirts will result from scientific construction, lay out and design that adapts itself to manufacturing processes and procedures for constructing a graceful hoop skirt by commercial manufacture thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and the `resultant sale price.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hoop skirt that is graceful and hangs evenly but yet permits the material to yield to the resilient hoop so as to provide elasticity in the garment for providing an attractive hoop skirt that will be rugged in construction, `neat in appearance, easy to launder, commercially manufactured and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide hoop skirts that are constructed with novel methods utilizing a minimum of manufacturing procedures wherein the hoop skirt will be expeditiously manufactured with a minimum of time consuming operations thereby enhancing the economic feasibility of the hoop skirt and providing improved methods in the construction thereof.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac-` companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the hoop skirt manufactured with the improved method of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed, vertical sectional View taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of the hoop skirt together with the waist band positioned thereon and one of the hoops positioned in the hoop casing;

`Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the overlapping portion of the ends of the hoop and the securing fastener `for retaining the hoop in expanded position;

Figure 4 is a perspective View showing the manner in whih the hoops are positioned in the hoop casings;

Figure 5 shows a detailed perspective view of the upper End of the skirt showing the fastening means for secur- `ing adjacent ends of the waistband together thereby securing the hoop skirt to the waist of a wearer;

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Figure 6 is a perspective showing the piecel of material utilized in constructing the hoop skirt wherein certain steps in the method have already been conducted; and

Figure 7 is `a perspective View showing the twomembers formed from the piece of material of Figure 6 shown in position for assembly by stitching the adjacent side edges thereof together.

Referring now specifically to Figures 1-5, it will be seen that the numeral 10 generally designates the hoop skirt of the present invention including a forward portion 12 and a rear portion 14 having a waistband 16 of double-thickness material having adjacent portions 15 and 15 at the upper end thereof. A placket 18 extends downwardly along one side edge of the skirt 10 where one of the side seams 20 and 22 are positioned. The waist portion 16 being of a double thickness material provides a tubular passage :17 between the adjacent portions 15 and l5' for a drawstring or thelike (not shown). A pair of fastening buttons 24 are positioned. ononeend of the waistband 16 adjacent the placket 18 and the other end of the waistband 16 is provided with a projecting portieri 26 having spaced button holes 2S thereon for engaging over the buttons 24 thereby securing `the hoop skirt on the wearer in the tusual position.

A plurality of hoop casings 30 are `provided on the outer surface of the skirt 10 in vertically spaced relation and the casings 30 are stitched tothe skirt 10 by suitable stitching 32 wherein each casing forms a passage for a hoop 34. The hoop 34 is inserted in the lower edge.of the `casing 30 where the stitching 32 is omitted as indicated by the numeral 36. Each end of the hoop 34 is provided with an aperture 38 wherein the apertured ends overlie with the apertures 38 being aligned for receiving a fastener 4t) therethrough. The fasteners 40 have bendable legs 42 thereon for projection through the aligned apertures 38 and then spread apart for retaining the hoops 34- in expanded position in the casings 30. Completing the lower end of the skirt 10 is a hem 44 of any desired length. lt will be seen that the hoop skirt 10 hangs in a graceful and non-sagging condition thereby enhancing the appearance thereof.

The method of forming the hoop skirt 10 of the present invention includes the following procedure.

Select a piece of material, generally indicated by the numeral 46 in Figure 6 and fold the material either lengthwise or Widthwise along a fold line 48 so thatthe selvage edges 47 and warp edges 49 of the fabric thus folded coincide with each other and providing `upper and lower sections 5l and 53. Secure the material at several points along its fold line 48 and along its selvage edges 47 to a flat supporting surface. Then secure the fabric to the flat surface with an enlarged heavy pin S0 at the point of intersection of the fold line 4S ,and the selvage edges 47. rlhis. pin Si)` will function as the center of concentric arcs to be scribed on the material for locating the waistline, hoop casings and the hem line. A suitable measuring device should be provided and positioned over the pin 5t) and arcs 52, 54, 56, 48 and 60 are inscribed on the upper surface of the upper section 51 of the material with a suitable mark as shown in Figure 6. Normally, the first arc defines the waistline and the next four arcs dene the positioning of the hoop casings and the sixth and last are indicates the bottom or hemline.

The material 46 should then be reversely folded along foldline 43 and the same step of scribing successive concentric arcs is repeated on the upper surface of the lower section 53 and the material then folded into its original position wherein the material will then be in the position as shown in Figure 6 with the arcs 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 on the upper section 51 facing upwardly.

The material is then cut along the fold line 4S to the hemline arc 6i) thus forming warp edges 49 and then along the hemline arc 60 and then along the waistline arc 52 thereby providing two segmental sections 51 and S3 having arcuate inner and outer edges which form the back and front of the hoop skirt and fall on the bias.

The two sections 51 and 53 thus formed are held together and inverted and then the section 53 which is then on top is inverted thereby exposing the marked lines formerly on the inner surface thereof to the upper surface whereby the arcuate lines on both sections of the skirt material will be facing outwardly and the marked lines are arranged in overlying alignment which arranges the warp edges 49 of the material to coincide with the woof edges 45 of the material and also provides a selvage edge 47 coincident with warp edges 49 at each side of the garment and a selvage edge 47 and a warp edge 49 is provided at each of the two seams wherein the seams are at the side of the garment.

The warp edges 49 and selvage edges 47 are sewn together along one edge of the skirt and a placket 18 is positioned in the other edge of the skirt along the warp and selvage edge from the waistline to a distance of approximately 7 inches thereon. If desired, a drawstring may be positioned in the tunnel 17 for adjusting the length of the waist. Also, the drawstring is provided for providing suitable gathers along the waistline until the waistline has the desired circumference. A waistband 16 is provided of the same material as the skirt and is sewn with inturned seams wherein the waistband will provide a neat appearance.

The remaining side seam 20 is then sewn from the placket hem to the bottom hem line of the skirt `and a narrow hem is stitched along the hem line of the skirt. Suitable buttons 24 and button holes 28 are provided on the waistband of the skirt for securing the placket hem in closed position and retaining the waistband in encircling relation to the waist of the wearer.

A plurality of casings 30 that are generally constructed from heavy-duty twilled cotton tape or other suitable material are positioned on the outer surface of the skirt 10 and are sewn above each arc inscribed for them with one edge on the are line. This edge or the bottom edge of the casing is sewn first yand the upper edge of the tape is slightly gathered to provide fullness and stitched along its edge. In stitching the edges of the tape the side seams of the skirt on both sides are turned towards the direction of sewing. This facilitates introduction of hoops in the `casings and the casings are left unstitched approximately two inches `along the bottom edge on the side opposite the placket for insertion and removal of hoops for the purpose of laundering.

The hoops 34 are produced from light weight, thin, resilient non-corrosive metallic or plastic material and provided in four different lengths with each length conforming to the required circumference of the skirt and to the desired contour of gathers around the periphery of the skirt at each location of a hoop. Each hoop has a small hole on each end or a plurality of holes wherein a fastener 40 may be provided for retaining the hoop 34 in expanded position.

It will be seen that the method of the present invention readily lends itself to commercial manufacture and the hoop skirt l thereby provided, provides a neat appearing, easily laundered, sturdy yet attractive hoop skirt.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to lim-it the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. The method of making hoop skirts comprising the steps of transversely folding a selected piece of fabric material with the selvage edges coinciding, securing the folded material to a flat surface, inscribing concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the material with an end of the fold as a center, reversely folding the material along the same fold line, inscribing similar concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the reversely folded material, folding the material to its original folded position, cutting the material along the fold line to the outermost inscribed are, cutting the material along the outermost and innermost inscribed arc thereby forming the front and back of the skirt, arranging the cut-out portions with a selvage edge at each side of the skirt and the inscribed arcs in alignment and facing outwardly, sewing the adjacent edges of the material thereby forming a skirt, providing a waist adjusting means, and securing skirt hoops in spaced relation to each other on the surface of the skirt at certain of the inscribed arcs.

2. The method of making hoop skirts comprising the steps of transversely folding a selected piece of fabric material with the selvage edges coinciding, securing the folded material to a at surface, inscribing concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the material with an end of the fold as a center, reversely folding the material along the same fold line, inscribing similar concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the reversely folded material, folding the material to its original folded position, cutting the material along the fold line to the outermost inscribed are, cutting the material along the outermost and innermost inscribed arc thereby forming the front and back of the skirt, arranging the cut-out portions with a selvage edge at each side of the skirt and the inscribed arcs in alignment and facing outwardly, sewing the adjacent edges of the material thereby forming a skirt, providing a waist adjusting means, and securing skirt hoops in spaced relation to each other on the surface of the skirt adjacent certain of the inscribed arcs, providing a placket in one edge of the skirt, and a drawstring adjacent the upper end of the skirt.

3. The method of making hoop skirts comprising the steps of transversely folding a selected piece of fabric material with the selvage edges coinciding, securing the :folded material to a flat surface, inscribing concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the material with an end of the fold as a center, reversely folding the material along the same fold line, inscribing similar concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the reversely folded material, folding the material to its original folded position, cutting the material along the fold line to the outermost inscribed arc, cutting the material along the outermost and innermost inscribed arc thereby forming the front and back of the skirt, arranging the cut-out portions` with a selvage edge at each side of the skirt and the inscribed arcs in alignment and facing outwardly, sewing the adjacent edges of the material thereby forming a skirt, providing a waist adjusting means, and securing skirt hoops in spaced relation to each other on the surface of the skirt, providing a peripheral loop on the surface of said skirt along certain of the arcs for receiving the hoops.

4. The method of making hoop skirts comprising the steps of transversely folding a selected piece of fabric material with the selvage edges coinciding, securing the folded material to a 'Hat surface, inscribing concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the material with an end of the fold as a center, reversely folding the material along the same fold line, inscribing similar concentric arcs on the upper surface of the upper section of the reversely folded material, folding the material to its original folded position, cutting the material along the fold line to the outermost inscribed arc, cutting the material along the outermost and innermost inscribed arc thereby forming the `rfront and back of the skirt, arranging the cut-out portions with a selvage edge at each side of the skirt and the inscribed arcs in alignment and facing outwardly, sewing the adjacent edges of the material thereby forming a skirt, providing a waist adjusting means, and securing skirt hoops in spaced relation to each other on the surface of the skirt, providing a peripheral loop on the surface of said skirt along 6 certain of the arcs for receiving the hoops, providing an opening at one point on the bottom edge of each loop for insertion and removal of the hoops.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,681 lColver May 5, 1896 584,454 Burchardt June 15, 1897 10 1,195,565 Davidson Aug. 22, 1916 1,732,369 Leeman Oct. 22, 1929 2,635,249 Summers et al. Apr. 21, 1953 

